Chapter 1

Oliver Queen

From his perch on a roof in Star City, the Green Arrow could hear it all. He heard each of his own breaths, he heard the shifting of his leather pants, he heard the cars honking below, and he heard people hurrying to their destinations. Unfortunately, while his hearing was impeccable, it wasn't as useful as that of some other people he knew. He couldn't hear into the room he wanted to.

He had been seated on the roof for about two hours now, watching the targets arrive. The decision of when to enter had been weighing on him for the past half, but he knew that soon he would have no choice.

In the dark safety of the night, and the isolation of the roof, the Green Arrow pulled back his hood, the mask the only thing keeping his identity in tact, before he slid that off as well. Oliver Queen shifted from his observational position to one more relaxing, as he gathered his thoughts.

Oliver Queen was a member of a growing group of people who led two lives. By day, he was Oliver Queen, the mayor of Star City. But during the night, he donned a mask and hood, and became the Green Arrow, a vigil – a hero, who protected Star City in ways the mayor couldn't. He was still getting used to calling himself a hero, until recently, he hadn't considered himself one. However, due to his time with his girlfriend, Kara Zor-El, he was beginning to believe that he somehow had earned the title.

The word girlfriend was another thing that tripped up his tongue. He wasn't sure if that was even the correct term – yes they had been dating for two months, but they hadn't seen each other for those two months. It wasn't exactly normal. But, then again, nothing was normal when it came to Kara and Oliver.

If Oliver's life was weird, Kara's was downright bizarre. Kara was an alien, from the planet Krypton. When she was young, her planet exploded, and her and her cousin were two of the only survivors.

And if that wasn't enough, this all happened in a different universe. Kara and Oliver started seeing each other at the end of his trip to National City on Earth-38, Kara's earth. That trip changed things for Oliver. He had decided, with Kara's help, to try again, try in a way he hadn't since his time stranded on Lian-Yu, a small island in the North China Sea. He had made friends in National City, in a way that he hadn't been able to in Star City.

He knew what was down there, he knew what he was up against, but it didn't lessen his dread.

But this was job, it was part of his life, and he would face it with head held high, like he always did.

Oliver quickly changed into his everyday clothes, leaving his leather gear in a bag on the rough, before using a grappling arrow to roll into an open hallway window.

He quickly stored his bow in a hidden nook he had spotted earlier, before walking to the door Felicity had said to go to.

He lifted his fist, hesitating before knocking it against the door three sharp times.

He ignored the telltale noise from the apartment.

The door swung open, and Oliver walked into the darkened apartment.

"SURPRISE!" Oliver blinked as his eyes adjusted to the sudden light, and he took in the room.

The people he loved were here, at least most of them. Thea, Diggle, Felicity, Lance, Barry and his team, Renee, Dinah, Curtis, Sara and Ray (the rest of the Legends were, luckily, missing), people from the mayors office, people from his time at Verdant. He wasn't sure how Thea and Felicity had pulled it off, but he was glad they had.

Thea's apartment, where the party was being held, had been decorated in shades of green. The people who didn't know who he was would just assume he had a thing for green, but those who knew his secret, well, they would be in on the joke. He couldn't help but smile genuinely as he went up to Thea to give her hug.

"Happy birthday, Olly!" She said, giving him a hug.

"Thanks, Speedy."

"Did we get you?" Felicity added in, pulling him in for a hug.

"Sure, if that makes you feel better." Oliver replied, smiling.

Oliver made his way around his closest friends, greeting them, exchanging hugs, and briefly catching up.

And then he reached Cisco. There was a smile on Cisco's face that made Oliver feel uneasy. He was too excited about something.

"Cisco…" He said, cautiously, as a greeting.

Cisco's grin didn't lessen. "Hey man, happy birthday."

"What are you hiding?"

"Nothing, Oliver, I just got you a little something something."

Oliver sighed, and said quietly, "Is it a new suit, because I told you I'm not getting between you and Winn on this. You'll have to work it out on your own."

"What? Man, no. And I was making you suits way before that wannabe, so mine obviously are the best! I have had time to perfect it. Do you know how much time I—"

"Cisco!" Oliver cut him off, aware of his rising volume. "I have other guests. This surprise…"

"Should be here any minute," Cisco finished, smiling. "Follow me."

Anxiously, Oliver followed Cisco into a guest bedroom.

Some of Oliver's tension was soothed when Barry followed him into the room.

"And in three, two, one" Cisco pointed at the wall, dramatically.

Nothing happened.

"What? No. That's not right. Just give me a second."

"Cisco, I should really," Oliver started, turning towards the door. A portal opening behind him cut off his sentence.

No. No! Cisco didn't. Oliver… hadn't exactly gotten around to telling his family and friends about his relationship with Kara.

But she was here – she was coming to his town, to his earth. If ever there were a time to tell them, it would be now. And it would be so much easier with her help.

All of these thoughts seemed to fall from his head as she stepped through the breach. He didn't notice Alex, J'onn, Winn, and James behind her. All he noticed was Kara, as he took two big steps towards her, and she flew the remaining distance, until they met in the middle.

"Hi," was all Kara said, a small smile on her face.

"Hi," he said back, not quite believing.

She pulled him towards her, and hugged him, not too hard, but strong enough that he felt it. "Happy birthday, Olly."

Kara Zor-El

"Come on! Are you guys ready?" Kara shouted into the expanse of the DEO. The people accompanying her to the party were so spread out, that it wasn't worth it to go to the individual rooms.

J'onn was most likely in his office, finishing off a report on the latest mission.

Winn was probably at his desk, either reading an old Kryptonian text, or playing Galaga. Both options were likely.

James was undoubtedly in the gym, hoping to get some last minute practice in before seeing his teacher.

And Alex was in the armory, deciding which weapons she wanted to bring with her, despite Kara's constant reminders that she wouldn't need weapons, because it was a birthday party.

Kara was impatient. She had been hoping to arrive early, and now it was looking like they would show up late. Kara hated being late.

She was excited to see Oliver, but also majorly nervous.

Although they talked almost every day, she hadn't actually seen Oliver in almost two months. She couldn't help but wonder if things had changed, if he had seen Felicity and had fallen in love with her all over again.

Rao, she couldn't think like that. He as a good man, and he was honest. If something like that had happened, he would have told her.

Absentmindedly, Kara checked her pocket again, to make sure the interdimensional extrapolator was there. Just like the last few times she checked, it was there.

She checked her watch again. It was now time for them to be arriving at the party.

"Okay, that's enough," she said, mostly to herself.

Faster than a human eye could see, Kara ran to J'onn's office, and picked him up, and ran him back to where they were leaving from. Then she went and did the same to Winn, James, and Alex. When she stopped moving, she saw Winn bent over, his hand on his stomach.

"Oh, God, Winn please don't vomit again…"

"Again?" Alex said, smirking.

"Say nothing!" Winn said, "I'm good."

"Good. Everyone ready to go?"

"Yes. By force." J'onn said gruffly. He always said things gruffly, now that she thought about it.

"Yes! By force! And now we are all going to celebrate our friend! Lets go!" Kara looped her arms through James and Winn's, before opening a breach.

The three of them, followed by Alex and J'onn, stepped through the portal.

The next thing she saw was a dimly lit bedroom, and Oliver Queen's back. She absently noticed that Cisco and Barry were there as well.

Oliver turned around and they're eyes met. He started walking towards her, but it was too slow, so she flew to meet him half way.

"Hi," she breathed.

"Hi," he answered.

As usual, she was the one to initiate contact, by pulling him into her arms, and saying "happy birthday."

"I can't believe you're here," he said.

She sharply turned to Cisco, "You didn't tell him we were coming?"

He meekly raised his hand in a flourish, "surprise!"

With that, the spell between the two of them was broken. Oliver stepped behind her to greet her friends, and she stepped behind him to greet his. She hugged Barry and Cisco, before turning to face Oliver.

"Guys, can we have the room for a minute? Tell Thea we'll be right out" Oliver said, not looking away from Kara.

"What? Oh, yea okay." Barry said, stumbling.

"You good, Kara?" Alex said, hovering by the door, once everyone else had left. Kara just nodded in response. Alex smiled, and left.

Kara looked back to Oliver, who was still looking at her.

"Hi," she repeated.

"Hi," he answered.

He took a step forward, and kissed her lightly. They kissed only for a brief moment, before they both pulled back.

The pair smiled at each other, before saying simultaneously, "we should talk."